Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-03-17

| ne drove his painting horse TO anu frOi
now crossing some ghnstly-looking OBJ
ject TO find Il q moonlt log or waver-
ing shadow; now bursting through Tho
bushes into an opening. and again rid
ing miles along the white road, and
thrilling as some COW or other animal
started up in the moonlight; then turn
ing into the woods and crossing dark
streams and hollows and hills. until,
when the dawn came, his hat was
gone, his clothes and flesh were torn,
and his face rs gray as ashes with
emotion ard fatigue.
Until the moon went down others on
| foot and on horses had been searching,
but John Earling and the old lawyer
mover ceased. and when the first amber
puff appeared in the East, heralding the
blossoming Of tho dawn, and sent its
wan film of light along the streets,
touching with gray the faces that
watched the gurgling water from the
bridge, and crgpt on up the winding
road under the trees, 1t found John
Earling on the crest Of the slope. His
eyes we're peering at the ground, for
he had thought he could see bv tho
light of the midnight moon that there
bad been struggle there, and his
blood sank down and chilled through
all is channels when now in the grow
ing dawn he saw red pools where
Maun's innocent life had been emptied
into the grass. With cry of pain and
horror he ran TO and fro looking for
the body; others came painting TO tho
place. but he was following dizzily
where some bleeding weight had been
trlilcd toward the river and they
poured after him. Half way down the
hillside he picked up piece of paper,
and glanced at It and threw out his
hands with a backward-staggeriug
movement as IL he had been dealt a
blow in the face. his eyes seemed TO
contract and grow sightless for mo-
ment, then they suddenly dilated and
he gave a kind Of wailing. fierce cry
and crushed the paper in his hand and
went on. At the rivers brink there
was nothing, only some blood-drops on
the stones and the still water slowly
flowing by. In an Instant he turned
and went down the river with a dozen
awc-struck men following, and there
All, God, tnat Cain was ever bornl that
the passionate animal, man, should
under the clear water he saw the face
of Maunl With the first sight he gave
. cry of pity and anguish, and reeled
aside with his hands smote hard against
his eyes; He had seen fc- the first time
In his life the wreck, Disagreement
and cruel ruin of beauty that he loved.
At that the old lawyer came crashing
through the brambles down the hill-
side. He might have came out of a
grave, he looked so ghastly, tattcred
and old.
Don't let him come here" John
Earling cried wildly. don't let him
sec her! In the name Of God, men, re-
strain him Keep him backl 1t will kill
himl Ii viii kill him.
Some ran before him. but he hurled
them out Of the way and came straight
to the waters edge. Then Salvo Popp
and others while memory remains win
never forget the cry that came from his
lips at sight of his murdered child.
"Maun! Maunl Maunr' he walled close
over the waters that covered her like a
sheet Of glass, and he held to her cold
hand wailing like one that is lost as
other trembling hands lifted her ten
VI
laid her down on the grass with the
first sunbeams OF the morning stream
ing across her face. There lay the
willowy form which had moved like
music to John Earling. His heart
seemed bursting with the sight He
had his arms about the old lawyer,
holding him in his wildness, and the
two men, pale. torn. bleeding and dis
heyeled, swayed TO and fro In agony.
Slowly the old father slipped down.
the young man following him with
hands to prevent his falling, and kissed
and fondled the still wet face and
mass of tangled oozing hair and moaned
and lay there with his forehead be-.
tween his arms upon the ground roll
ing his head in anguish. There lay
the man who With his eloquenco and
legal wiles had set many a murderer
free. There, gentlemen OF the bar, and
sirs of the ermine, lay a successful
criminal lawyer.
Suddenly he sprang up with his gray
hair struggling about his face, his ewes
fevering wildly out, his fists clinched,
and the veins and cords at neck and
wrist distended, knotted and working.
20, who has done this? who has done
this?h he cried, hoarsely, shaking
his trembling fists above his hoary
head. 80 Cod o Father OF
wrath give him into my hands! Give
me his heart, that bowl of hell-made
poison, that 1 may dash it in pieces!
that / may have jusiice o that may
have justice!' and he started wildly
from the place and wayered and stag
gered and gasped and fell prone among
the brambles and was still. John Earl
ing ran quickly 10 him and lifted him
up, and they dashed water in his face
and over his head again and again. In
few moments he opened his eyes and
stared about him. John Earling stood
so the stricken man might not see the
murdered girl. ''Is il SOP" he whis-
pered, looking piteously up in the
young mans face
Yes, he faltered.
A dull blind expression came into the
pleading amber eyes and the old mans !
head sank down. II meant her for /.
you, he ;nurmured. "and / meant her
for YOU"
Strong hands carried him back to the |
road, and a carriage was brought and 4
the palsy-stricken man drawn slowly /
home. When they had gone, John J
Earring, with that sad anger, that /
burning sorrow moving all his blood, |
turned 10 the men aud said: Gentle I
men, friends, let me in this poor IA
TIERS stead thank you for what you
have done. Now let ms find the man
who did this awful deed. First find
Fowler. Joel Whitney's book-keeper
and apprehend him at any cost.
have evidence pointing TO him. One
of you be kind enough to bring the
coroner"
Then some Of the men FASTENED
away, two Of them watched by tho
dead girl, and John Earling went inch